The Town Board of the Town of Shelter Island adopts this chapter
to prohibit the use of geothermal heating and cooling systems in order
to protect the Town's unique and limited freshwater resources.
This chapter is adopted as a local law pursuant to the authority
of the Municipal Home Rule Law.
As used in this chapter, the following terms, words and phrases
and their derivations shall have the meanings indicated:
CLOSED-LOOP GEOTHERMAL SYSTEM
A closed-looped system, an opening (either a borehole or
trench) is made in the earth. A series of pipes are installed into
the opening and connected to a heat exchange system in the dwelling.
The pipes form a "closed loop" (hence the name) and are filled with
a heat transfer fluid. The fluid is circulated through the piping
from the opening into the heat exchanger and back. The system functions
in the same manner as the open-looped system, except that there is
no pumping of groundwater.
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEM
A geothermal system uses the Earth's thermal properties
in conjunction with electricity to provide greater efficiency in the
heating and cooling of buildings. It shall include both open-loop
geothermal and closed-loop geothermal systems.
OPEN-LOOP GEOTHERMAL SYSTEM
In an open-looped system, groundwater is pumped from a water
well into a heat exchanger located in a surface dwelling. The water
drawn from the Earth is then pumped back into the aquifer through
a different well or, in some cases, the same well. Alternatively,
the groundwater could be discharged to a surface water body. In the
heating mode, cooler water is returned to the Earth, while in the
cooling mode, warmer water is returned.